Expert Advice
GREG’S THREE DESTINATIONS ON THE VERGE OF BIG CHANGE Raja Ampat Islands
Myanmar A magical country and headlines will never do justice to its complicated history and current tensions. Tourism is the best form of backdoor diplomacy. Go see and learn for yourself.
Bolivia Bolivia’s infrastructure is finally catching up to its neighbours, and tourism is about to heat up. Be a part of the change by supporting responsible tourism.
PHOTOGRAPHER: LYNDSAY HARSHMAN
It has some of the most pristine underwater environments left on the planet and dreamy archipelagos above the surface. Pair with a visit to Java for the ultimate 1-2 knock-out.
Stop planning trips and start planning great travel By Greg Sacks ’91 Greg Sacks is an owner and founding partner of Trufflepig Travel. Trufflepig specializes in custom trip planning and, like the animal that is its namesake, Trufflepig leads its clients to unique and unforgettable experiences buried just under the surface and worth their weight in gold.
Great travel experiences can transform individuals, spark new fires in long-term relationships, and significantly improve family dynamics. Bad travel experiences, on the other hand, can be true nightmares. Faced with today’s ragged pace, overstimulation and digital dependency, we are slowly realizing the true worth of quality time spent connecting with ourselves, our loved ones and the extraordinary world around us. These moments when we step out of the daily fray are rare, deeply meaningful and priceless – so shouldn’t you have a strategy for making the most of them? Imagine if you approached your financial investments the way many people approach travel investments. You would likely think one transaction at a time, there might be that “oh sh*t” moment when you realize you are way late in making plans, you might spend hours on a “Stock Advisor” website crowdsourcing
opinions from amateur critics, and you would start from scratch every time you decided to make a play. Before long, you would be broke. You should have a strategy for accomplishing all the important things in your life, including travel. Transactional travel – planning one trip at a time – is akin to making one financial investment at a time. Taking a longer view, and building a relationship with a travel advisor or company, will help you get more out of each and every trip you take. Think about all the places you want to go (call it your bucket list if you have to) and then also think about who you want to go with and when you might be able to go. Do you have any big birthdays or anniversaries coming up in the next three to five years? Are there weeks that you take off every year? Now start mapping it out in your brain – or better yet, find a travel advisor with broad expertise who can get to know you, help you prioritize and keep you on track. Some places on your bucket list are changing rapidly while others are timeless. Some places are kid-friendly while others are not. Some must be booked 18 months in advance. An advisor can help you sort through the variables so that you can enjoy an optimal travel experience. The number of vacation days are few and the dollars spent on them are many. There is much to be gained by treating your travel planning more like your financial planning: bring a little strategy to the process. Basically, stop planning trips and start planning great travel experiences. Crescent School Alumni Magazine 27
